The peach and nectarine seasons are running some two weeks behind schedule this year across Europe as a result of unseasonably cold temperatures in the main producing regions in January, February and March.

The forecast was released at last week’s Europech conference in Perpignan. Following the cold, blossom was plentiful on trees throughout Italy, France, Spain and Greece, leading growers to plan considerable thinning programmes.

However, at the end of April a significant number of small fruitlets on the trees are not developing and are likely to fall. Volumes at this stage are therefore more difficult to predict than usual, but are expected to be in line with the five-year average at around 2.772 million tonnes, just two per cent below last year’s crop. Agronomists warned that with the delay affecting early-season varieties most, the season could fall victim to a concertina-effect with production of different types overlapping rather than coming on stream in sequence.

Volumes arriving on EU markets until mid-May will be greatly reduced as 90 per cent of extra-early peach and nectarine production in the Spanish area around Seville was destroyed. Valencia volumes were also hit hard. Extremadura, Catalonia and Aragon, which produce later varieties, and the traditional varieties in Murcia are unaffected as vegetation was still dormant when cold struck. Overall the Spanish crop will be in line with the five-year average but is still likely to be some 26 per cent up on last year’s frost-struck season. The tendency for peach and nectarine production to increase at the expense of cling-stone peaches continues.

In Italy, peach and nectarine production is forecast to decline by about 10 per cent on last season’s bumper crop. This is due largely to a five per cent reduction in acreage in northern growing areas combined with the effects of alternate bearing.

Production in France appears to be falling victim to fruit drop as many fruitlets are not developing on trees. This is a factor particularly in the Rhône Valley where peach and nectarine volumes are forecast to fall by about 17 per cent due also to a 10 per cent decline in acreage. Output in the Provence Alpes Cote d’Azur region is likely to be about two per cent down on last year. Area under production in Languedoc Roussillon is unchanged but the forecast is for an increase of some 13 per cent in volume. At this stage the forecast is for a crop of the same order as in 2004 - some 400,000t.

Early season apricots from Spain will be notable by their absence due to the frost in Valencia. But the campaign is forecast to catch up with a crop eight per cent up on last year.

Greek apricot production is likely to be about 38 per cent down on last season at 40,000t. Italian production was untouched by frosts but production is down by about eight per cent to 195,000t. France is making up for declines in peach and nectarine plantings with increased acreage of apricots. The effects of the frosts in the flowering period have taken their toll and the forecast is for a crop 10 per cent down on last season at 147,900t.

The gap in early-season peaches and nectarines will give an opportunity to Israel, and Agrexco has already begun air-freighting yellow- and white-fleshed peaches and nectarines with apricots expected to come on stream next week. “We have some nice programmes in place and volumes will build week on week until the Spanish maincrop of peaches and nectarines come on stream,” said Steve Hopkins, category manager at Agrexco.

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